Problem 1: The evolution of the giraffe's long neck was discussed by Lamarck in his well-known theory concerning evolution. Explain how Lamarck accounted for the long neck of the giraffe. Then explain how Darwin's theory of natural selection would account for the giraffe's long neck. How does Lamarck's explanation differ from Darwin's?
Problem 2: You are an anthropologist and you have discovered a small group of people on an island in the Pacific Ocean. In this population (a) all of the people have type O blood, (b) most are taller than people on neighboring islands, (c) most are immune to malaria, and (d) a few people have purple hair. Explain what evolutionary processes or mechanisms could account for each of these characteristics.
Problem 3: Someone tells you that the theory of evolution doesn't make sense to him or her because (a) "To advance you have to have something new, and how can parents pass on to their offspring something they don't have themselves? Where do these new traits or changes come from?" (b) "Evolution has never been observed. No one has ever seen one kind of animal actually evolve into another so it doesn't seem as if the theory is very well proven." Based on what you have learned about evolution in class, how would you answer these two questions?